Ukraine and Russia have such a shared history that I dont think Putin would believe its right to give up on claims of Ukrainian submission

However, Russia really wants to have a modern nation and they cant do that without the west. Putin does LOVE capitalism and I think he does want to keep it going full speed.

If I were a betting man Russia was doing all this dick waving and supporting of pro-Russian groups to force Ukraine to agree to the annexation of Crimea. Putin played an incredible political game and he won.

"Canada will send six CF-18 jets and more military personnel to bolster NATO's efforts to protect alles in Eastern Europe, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said Thursday, citing Canada's anxiety over Russian "expansionism" in Ukraine."

Those of us old enough to have rented videotapes all have that one movie that you somehow forgot to return and ended up costing you more in late fees than the movie was worth. For me, that movie was "The Abyss".

/damned thing fell under my car seat and didn't get dropped in the night drop slot with the others.//went out of town and didn't know it was a problem for a couple of weeks.///cost me about $60////and a lot of slashies.//somebody please stop me ...

svanmeter:"Canada will send six CF-18 jets and more military personnel to bolster NATO's efforts to protect alles in Eastern Europe, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said Thursday, citing Canada's anxiety over Russian "expansionism" in Ukraine."

/now you've pissed of Canada, Herr Putin

//Obama to send "non-lethal" support.

The most damage we could do would be to send tech support from the Obamacare website to help with the Russian networks

Lost Ukraine by offering a $15B trade deal when it should have been $50BLost respect of nations who now question Russia's commitment to treaties and agreementsCost the Russian economy maybe $100B in trade and development dealsTurkey on notice, if Russia mistreats the Cossacks in Crimea, Turkey locks their fleet in the Black SeaSeized a tiny peninsula, where they already had bases, and have no land bridge to it.Putin looks like a fool and a dictator

Lost Ukraine by offering a $15B trade deal when it should have been $50BLost respect of nations who now question Russia's commitment to treaties and agreementsCost the Russian economy maybe $100B in trade and development dealsTurkey on notice, if Russia mistreats the Cossacks in Crimea, Turkey locks their fleet in the Black SeaSeized a tiny peninsula, where they already had bases, and have no land bridge to it.Putin looks like a fool and a dictator

WINNING

Be that as it may he successfully took land that had an important role in the Region. Also, the Russian people love him for what he did. He did win a little bit at the cost of significant degradation of their international reputation.

cman:tinyarena: cman: Putin played an incredible political game and he won.

Lost Ukraine by offering a $15B trade deal when it should have been $50BLost respect of nations who now question Russia's commitment to treaties and agreementsCost the Russian economy maybe $100B in trade and development dealsTurkey on notice, if Russia mistreats the Cossacks in Crimea, Turkey locks their fleet in the Black SeaSeized a tiny peninsula, where they already had bases, and have no land bridge to it.Putin looks like a fool and a dictator

WINNING

Be that as it may he successfully took land that had an important role in the Region. Also, the Russian people love him for what he did. He did win a little bit at the cost of significant degradation of their international reputation.

So, if I steal a sandwich and get my arm cut off, by your definition, I'm winning.

Lost Ukraine by offering a $15B trade deal when it should have been $50BLost respect of nations who now question Russia's commitment to treaties and agreementsCost the Russian economy maybe $100B in trade and development dealsTurkey on notice, if Russia mistreats the Cossacks in Crimea, Turkey locks their fleet in the Black SeaSeized a tiny peninsula, where they already had bases, and have no land bridge to it.Putin looks like a fool and a dictator